Penny invites more to share her books

Volunteer Penny Roberts has created hours of pleasure for hundreds of housebound and lonely people for the last 15 years.

And now Penny, who lives in Barnoldswick, has been honoured for her work by the Royal Voluntary Service in recognition of her dedication to the Home Library Service in Barnoldswick and Earby.

“It’s a real lifeline that keeps people connected and I just love being able to help,” said Penny, who was presented with a medal marking her service.

Penny and her colleagues take library items to people who cannot get out and about, and she is keen to have even more borrowers. It does not cost anything to borrow anything from the library.

She loves meeting people who rely on the volunteers to deliver the books, tapes and videos, and she has also recruited friends to join the distribution team.

Over the years, library borrowers have become friends. “We’re on first name terms. We have a chat about the kinds of books they want to read and what they thought of the last batch,” said Penny.

Penny and her colleagues liaise with the Home Library Service about housebound-borrowers’ requests with librarian Christine Mercer, who runs the home library for the Pendle area from Nelson Library.

Thanking Penny for her dedication, Royal Voluntary Service administrator Jane Warman said: “People like Penny are fantastic ambassadors for our service and play such an important role helping older members of the local community remain mentally active and connected with their communities.

“It’s such a simple but effective service that we want more people to benefit from it.”

• To find out more about using the free library service, or about becoming a volunteer with the service, call Christine Mercer at the library on 01282 699660.